


as warm as the sun

by swordofoaths



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: (late post) birthday fic, Gen, found family knights, it was a struggle but it was worth it, mentions of ruka and keito, took me 3 months to post here im sorry, types through my tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-30 05:17:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20091883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swordofoaths/pseuds/swordofoaths
Summary: Leo Tsukinaga gets to celebrate his birthday differently this year.





	as warm as the sun

No one would dare walk around the cold streets at midnight—except for Leo Tsukinaga. His small figure under the moonlight shivered as he walked. He carried with him the usual things—his music sheets, his markers, his crayons—his _everything._  
  
  
He ran away from home... _again._  
  
  
It wasn't really anything new. He already did a few times before. Although, he himself lost count of how many times he left. His little sister's voice echoed in his head.  
  
  
_'Don't leave... onii-chan!'_  
  
  
His beloved Ruka-tan... he keeps on making her cry and it pains him so much to see her like that. But... he can't stay there anymore. He always end up shutting himself in, trying to compose all day until he gets himself hurt. He tried to go back to school as well, but he just... can't seem to forget. Even though people consider him forgetful.

  
In the past, he was a shut-in; now he prefers wandering around more. It's better that way. It's especially peaceful at night... but lonely.

  
He stopped on his tracks as he realized where he was going. He stared at the gates before him for awhile, tried to take a peek from the rails to see that house once more. He recalled all those times he went there and... caused chaos. No. He can't bother Sena as well, anymore. 

  
"Wahaha! Guess I have no choice. Where else can I stay for tonight?" 

  
He was alone. Yet, he still spoke that way. He did not need to put on that facade, but he was so used to it to the point that even with no one around, he speaks that way. It has already become so natural—somehow... a part of him. He rubbed his hands cold and continued to walk for as long as he could.

* * *

Finally, he saw a nearby playground and stopped there.

  
"Hmm~ this playground will do for tonight," he whispered to himself as he sat on the swing.

  
He stared to the sky and admired its beauty. The scenery before him was so beautiful that he wished he wasn't the only one looking at it. The full moon is out and shining, lighting up the cold, dark night. The stars are visible as well, even from afar.

  
"Ah, inspiration! It's come, it's come! What a beautiful moon! The stars are shining! This cold, lonely night is giving me so much inspiration! Wahaha! I need to write everything~" 

  
Leo jumped out of the swing and went under the slide to hide. He suddenly recalled how he used to go out and play with his little sister as a kid. This playground is quite similar to the one they used to go to.

  
Remembering such a wonderful memory painted a soft smile in his lips and so, he started to scribble inside. At the back of his head, he could hear Keito nagging him to stop scribbling everywhere he goes. This made him let out a joyous laugh.

  
After awhile, he suddenly paused and stared outside. For some reason, the first thing that came into his mind was Knights. How they went and welcomed him back easily. Even though he kept on causing them trouble. It's been awhile since he returned and things finally went back to the way it should be. They're doing well as a unit... growing, starting to be more fond of each other. Atleast, that's how it seems to him.

  
He may seem to be a carefree idiot, not minding his surroundings at all but he remembers the important things—he never forgets what matters.

  
It was all thanks to that first year for never growing tired of dragging him to their practices. But... he left again. As swift as the wind. He was afraid. He was afraid things would turn out like it did before. Things are different now... yet he still feels uncertain.

  
He hummed to himself as he tried to doodle Knights with his cold hands. 

  
"Hmm~ this is Sena! There, there. What a beautiful smile. This is Naru! Always taking care of us. And this is Rittsu, sleeping... on Anzu's lap~! Wait, did I miss anyone? Oh right, the newbie! Suo~ always scolding me and..."

  
He doodled himself in the middle.

  
"Ah, I love them so much!" he suddenly yelled out loud, he felt a bit embarassed. He's used to shamelessly saying it out loud all the time to everyone but somehow saying it alone, to no one at all felt rather embarassing.

  
They're different. Those guys... they protected Knights while he was away. They continued to fight together even though he left them. The more he tried to challenge them, test them... the more he got to know more the new Knights. If it's them, they could surely make it without him.

What were they doing in this cold, lonely night? Do they even think about him sometimes? Perhaps to them, he's just a stupid leader, a stupid ousama. A composing genius who misses practice a lot. It's what most people think about him after all. Suddenly, a tear ran down his cheeks and just like that, Leo fell asleep.

* * *

"You idiot! How many times have I told you not to leave your house?! You really never listen, don't you?" A loud, familiar voice rang in his ears and jolted him awake. It's... Sena! He's outside and he's nagging him again. But, why is he here?

  
He peeked outside and saw four figures. It was still dark and the sun has not risen yet, but he recognized them immediately. 

  
"Leader...." a muffled voiced called him. It was his newbie and it seemed like he was close to crying. Leo suddenly recalled that one time in the archery hall... those words were meant for Leo-san, the cat his newbie named, but of course he knows... that message was really meant for him.

  
"Ousama~ get up. Fufu, I baked you a cake~"

  
Leo got up and went outside in confusion. He almost hit his head, though.

  
"Leader! Be careful!"

  
"Yeah~ You almost hit your head, Ousama."

  
Leo almost hit his head but he still felt confused. A cake?

  
_'Why would Rittsu suddenly bake me a cake,'_ he thought.

  
"My, my, aren't you quite a handful, Ousama? I know you forget things easily but you shouldn't forget your own birthday, you know~?" It was Naru, who seemed to notice Leo's confusion.

  
Upon hearing Naru's words, Leo seemed to finally realized. He.... really forgot his own birthday. Today is his birthday... ?

  
Seeing all of them out here, for him, he could not hold his tears any longer. 

  
"W-Why are you crying?!" Izumi was quite flustered, he never thought that their presence would make Leo cry. He never thought he'll see Leo actually cry like _that._

  
Knights... his Knights... _their_ Knights. They're here, they found him. Leo couldn't believe it.

  
It's his birthday and they went to look for him... to celebrate it with him... ?

  
Leo wiped his tears and smiled—so bright that everyone just stared at him dumbfounded.

  
They never saw Leo smiled like _that._

  
Suddenly, Leo ran towards them and hugged them all so tight they couldn't breathe.

  
"Oh my, you're such a boy after all huh~" The first one to hug him back was Arashi. Afterwards, everyone else finally hugged him back... though they felt embarassed, but their expressions showed how happy they are.

  
They all held each other like that until Leo felt something. It felt... so warm. Their hug... it felt as warm as the sun. He could hug them forever. He didn't want to let go.

  
He stared into the sky. The sun has finally risen as well.

  
"Inspiration! It's come—it's come! I dedicate this piece, As Warm As The Sun to all of you here! Wahaha! I love you all~ I love Knights so much~!"

  
Leo went to scribble around but before he could even write anything, Tsukasa—his newbie handed him a music sheet.

  
"Leader! You've been told not to write just anywhere, right? Here, thank goodness I didn't forget to bring some music sheets."

  
"Thanks, Suo~ I love you! Wahaha!"

  
"Ousama~ Don't you wanna eat your cake? Let's go _home_ now~"

  
Home. _Home?_ Ah, It's the Sena House. The studio where they practice.

  
_Rittsu actually considers it their home,_ Leo thought while scribbling.

  
"Ah, before we actually leave..." Izumi trailed off. "We haven't greeted you, right? Happy birthday, Leo-kun." It's that smile. That beautiful smile. And it's been awhile since he called him Leo-kun.

  
"Happy birthday, Leader! Please don't leave on your own from now on."

  
"Happy birthday, Ousama! You're a big boy now but always rely to this Onee-chan alright? Even though you're older than me~ Fufu."

  
"Happy birthday Ousama~ I hope you'll like the cake I baked. Nacchan and the others helped me bake it. We're a family, after all."

  
Family... they are a _family._ Ah, it's that feeling again. He wasn't enveloped in their arms anymore but it feels so warm. It really feels as warm as the sun.

  
"Thank you, everyone! What are you all waiting for? Let's go home now~ I'm excited! What kind of celebration did you all prepared? Wahaha! I can't wait to see..."

**Author's Note:**

> haha sweats.. first fic in ao3?
> 
> anyway i wrote this fic months ago and posted it on my carrd during leo's birthday (5/5)! only finally found the courage (and energy) to post it here now...
> 
> thanks for reading! <3
> 
> originally posted [here](http://august.carrd.co/#leo)  
twt: @swordofoaths


End file.
